Page 174 of From Rivals to I Do

It also vaguely occurred to him that he may be starting to like her. She was no longer just attractive to him but lovely. Camilla did not wear makeup. Camilla always tied her hair away from her face, leaving thin curls hanging around her face. She did not dress very stylishly, always wearing shirts and slacks that did not compliment her figure, but Abel still wondered if the right set of circumstances occurred, he might try to hit on her or shoot his shot. The thought was fleeting when it came, however. Especially when she came into the kitchen, barking orders or correcting him on how he should be doing something. Camilla's control freak nature was an instant turn-off, despite her beauty.

The rest of the day went as expected. Abel made the food, and the food went out to the customers. Camilla poked her head in to check on how he was doing from time to time. By closing, Abel was exhausted but relieved the day was finally over. He cleaned the kitchen in solitude, remembering the days he would clean in prison and block everything and everybody out to let time pass. It was the one area that he seemed to do well enough, even for her.

When Abel finally finished for the day, everyone except Camilla and Charlie had gone for the day. Abel poked his head into her office to see her grabbing her coat, her young son asleep in one of the chairs near the door. Then, with her tired face, she gave Abel a gentle smile.

"You need anything else, boss?" he asked.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. She put her coat on and picked up Charlie. He remained asleep as she draped him over her shoulder. "Thanks."

"Okay," he said. "Let me walk you out."

She gave him another gentle smile. "Thank you, but I've got it."

She walked past him through the door, and Abel followed her out of the restaurant just the same way.

"How old is he?" Abel asked, just making conversation.

"Five," she said softly, trying not to wake him.

He nodded. "His dad isn't around?"

She gave him a side glance. Then, as they approached the door, he opened it for her. "That's none of your business."

"Just making conversation," he said.

Once outside, she balanced her keys in one hand and locked the door with her left extremity. She glanced over at him cautiously. "You do not have to babysit me. I will be fine."

He glanced around the darkened parking lot and said, "If it's all the same to you, I'll just hang around until you pull off."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. See you tomorrow."

He watched her walk across the parking lot, balancing her son on her shoulder. Then, when she got to the car, she used the same skill to open her car door and put her son in the back seat. Abel was impressed. He was sure he would be unable to open a door and hold a sleeping child.

She waved at him briefly (sarcastically) as she got in the front seat and closed the door. He waited a moment longer, listening for the engine to turn over. Finally, the headlights came on, and she turned the key to the sound of metallic clicking. The lights flickered in time with the clicking as she tried two more times to turn the engine over.

Abel frowned and glanced down at his watch. It was late. Too late for car trouble in an empty parking lot. He walked over to her car. When he got there, she rolled down her window.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about cars, would you?"

He shrugged. "I know a little something. Pop the hood."

She did, and it popped open with a kerchunk. Abel pulled the hood up and took out his phone, shining a light on the engine.

"It's a good thing I stuck around," he said loudly. Abel heard her scoff.

"I guess you're my hero once again," Camilla responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm nobody's hero," he said. Abel looked around at the wires and noted wires chewed to bits. He leaned over, meeting her eyes as she leaned out the window.

"I think you've got squirrels or something."

She scowled. "Squirrels?"

"They get in engines when it gets cold and chew on the wires," he said, putting down the hood. "You're going to need a mechanic."

Her face paled. "Oh… that's wonderful."

He put down the hood and wiped his hands on his pants as she got out of the car. She put her hands on her hips and stared at the car for a long moment before opening the back door, picking Charlie up, and draping him back over her arm.

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